Healthcare Professionals on 4th March 2009:

The last HEFAPII meeting took place March 4th, 2009 at the Henrietta Szold/Hadassah School of Nursing. Short films were presented by Hadassah nursing students: Essa Grayeb, Morad Sayed Ahmed and Mohammed Isawi. This project was originally prepared as part of the cultural competence seminar that the students studied under the guidance of Dr. Anita Noble.

The project was based on Dr. Rachel Spector's model of CULTURALCARE whereby healthcare professionals seek cultural ways that patients and their families maintain, preserve and promote their HEALTH. Dr. Spector suggests that healthcare professionals partake in "urban hikes" – activities that allow healthcare professionals/students opportunities to witness and learn about cultural diversity by "going out" and observing firsthand what life entails for members of different cultural groups.

With the goal of finding patients and families customs, beliefs and practices that are utilized during HEALTH and ILLNESS, the short films showed that many of these can be observed by patients of different faiths. Jewish, Moslem and Christian patients can be found praying, using amulets, religious passages, studying religious text, performing religious practices. Essa also included the collection of orthopedic casts that are displayed as an exhibit. The casts contain drawings of "hamsas", evil spirits, and religious passages. Morad and Mohammed's short film included an interview with a nurse from an Intensive Care Unit at Hadassah Medical Center, Anwar Kabha, who described how the staff works together with patients and their families to observe their cultural customs, beliefs, and practices.

A discussion followed as to what healthcare professionals can do to promote cultural competence when caring for patients. Essa and Morad stated that they thought it important to start with a desire to become culturally competent. They stated that it is also important to obtain information from patients and their families about what cultural practices they need and want to conduct. Additionally, it is helpful when the staff work together with the patient and families to allow for safe cultural customs, beliefs and practices to be utilized. Dr. Noble stated that she has adapted Dr. Rachel Spector's Heritage Assessment Tool for the Israeli population and is preparing to pilot test the questionnaire. Another discussion was about recent research studies whereby cultural competence initiatives were instituted and resulted in better patient health outcomes.

Reported by Dr. Anita Noble

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